Alter Ego
by mwwhitacre
Summary: "Then she's looking up at me. In an awful green outfit and with a cheerful smile, the gorgeous tall blonde is practically beaming at me under the blaring headline: 'Crusader takes on the Family Business.' And that, I can safely say, is where my trouble started." Evelyn Rogers is no superhero, but when her family is in peril she will stop at nothing to save them. Sequel to Superdad.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

 _Captain America: the most legendary hero in all of our history. He started out as a young artist in New York City, but because there was no match for his courageous heart, he was given the opportunity to be more. He fought countless battles and villains in the name of the Allied Forces against insurmountable odds. He was willing to sacrifice his life for the cause, but such great selflessness could never be quelled; fate had other plans. After seventy years of cryogenic sleep, he woke up in another world. His old life was gone, but his heart remained as did his will to fight for the good. So the Captain of old returned and became our captain once more in the time of our greatest need. He stayed in this world making friends and forming a team of the mightiest heroes known to us. Their exploits became just as widely known as the World War II hero, and their membership set the gold standard for heroes. Soon, word spread across the known realms of a team who challenged the gambit of evil and has yet to be defeated. Not much is known about what Cap did when he wasn't leading the charge, but one thing is clear. He made a life here._

Eighteen years after his awakening, he is still fighting for his country and with him stands Crusader. Tall, strong, passionate, every bit like her father, Crusader borrows her father's shield in the pursuit of justice and keeping the world safe from those who would mean it harm. Kicking butt and taking names has become a family affair, and to this day, Crusader is regarded as one of Captain America's greatest successes; the second-generation hero; the second generation soldier; the prodigy of Captain America.

There's just one problem. Crusader doesn't exist.

She's a fictional, comic book hero, modeled after the image of Captain America. The public doesn't know that there isn't such a hero alive-sometimes major news outlets will get anonymous tips about Crusader's deeds, but it's fake-most likely planted by Shield. Crusader is a clever ploy; a smoke screen to hide the identity of Evelyn Sarah Rogers, the only living child of Steve Rogers...me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Alter Ego**

 _Author's Disclosures: Henceforth, let it be known for the remainder of this story that I do not own the Marvel franchise ( :( ) or its characters ( :( )._ **  
**

Chapter 1

* * *

When I was 9 years old, I was supposed to write a paragraph on my personal hero. The entire night, I kept switching back and forth between two people: my dad and Captain America. Captain America is a hero to many. In the second World War he lead the Howling Commandos into battle against the Nazis and Hydra. Now, he leads the Avengers in fighting Hydra and tons of other dangerous adversaries. He's strong, selfless-he's the reason for the definition of the word. Of course he is my hero, but then, so is my dad. It wasn't always easy for him especially being a single father, but somehow, despite his 'job', he was always there for me. About 95 percent of everything I know I learned from my dad; he taught me that determination and heart can take you anywhere if you're willing to fight for it. He really is my hero and I've wanted to be just like him for as long as I can remember. Except, I can't ever be like my dad, because my dad is Captain America and Captain America is more than just a 'hero.' He's a _superhero_. Unfortunately, I don't have any serum-enhanced muscles or special extraordinary powers-unless you count my enlarged heart and my particular aptitude for gargling the alphabet (a skill my dad's not a fan of). Otherwise I'm just plain old Evelyn Rogers. I know I can't be him and it doesn't bother me-really. I just wonder what it would be like to be like them. What if I was Crusader? What if I followed in dad's footsteps?

Would I be able to save him?

* * *

Evy POV

"Dad! I'm heading out, I'll text you when we get to the theater!" Pulling the satchel around my shoulder, I reached for the front door.  
"What?" Dad's called from down the hall. "Where are you going?"  
"To the movies…Happy's waiting downstairs!" I told him.  
"Wait. Honey," The moment I saw him in his uniform I knew I wouldn't be going out.  
"Really, dad? Tonight?"  
"Sweetheart, I can't control when or where Dr. Doom decides to conquest," he explained. "I'm afraid that you have to stay in tonight."  
"But-but...but dad, it's the premier!" I whined.  
"I'm really sorry Evy, but it's too dangerous."

Let's clarify for a moment: it's always too dangerous. You know one day I'd love to meet these bad guys-line them all up and ask them why they take such joy in ruining my life. If I didn't know any better I'd think these villains get together at some sort of meeting, probably over _coffee_ , discussing which portion of my life they can screw with. Okay, maybe not coffee, but there's something fishy going on! Thirteenth birthday? Baron Struecker takes the UN hostage. Sixth grade ice skating recital? MODOK threatens the world with his poor replica of a cosmic cube. Thanksgiving always coincides with the introduction of one of Zimo's newest creations, and what's a trip to Uncle Tony's beach house without the looming threat of a doombot invasion? Noticing a pattern? Yeah, I thought so.

Sinking onto our couch, I nodded.  
"Fine."  
"Honey, if I could change it, I would."  
"I know."  
"Maybe you and Elijah could watch a movie tonight?" he offered. "I just bought microwave popcorn-it's in the cupboard."  
"No thanks dad." Dad walked over to me and, setting his shield to the side, knelt down.  
"If I'm not back beforehand, promise me you'll be in bed by 10:00?"  
"Sure..."  
"And I mean in bed, not on that chair."  
"It's not just any chair!" I scoffed. "It's the most comfortable armchair in the world!"  
"If you fall asleep on it, you'll just get a permanent crick in your neck."  
"You've been saying that since I was like 9."  
"And that's why your neck hasn't gotten a permanent crick yet," he kissed the top of my head. "Be good. Listen to Jarvis. Go to _bed_. Got it?"  
"Yeah," I said getting up. "I'm fifteen- I can put myself to bed."

* * *

I plopped on my bed, bringing out my phone. Hitting the all-too-familiar picture of the blonde in the _Beauty and the Beast_ t-shirt, I waited until I heard the chipper response.  
"Evy!" a high pitched voice cried out. "I can't decide which top to wear, you know? Maybe that peasant top with the ruffles..,"  
"Lizzy?" I tried to interrupt.  
"Or the glittery halter top...you know with the red and purple..."  
"Lizzy..."  
"I just need something that'll say, 'Liam Hemsworth, you need to call me!'"  
"Liz!" I finally yelled into the phone.  
"What?"  
"I can't come."  
"What!? Evy-Evy! Liam Hemsworth, Evy!" As she continued to rant and rave about the absurdity of my absence, I began looking online for some news. My chat window popped up and Neil's avatar appeared.

 ** _mimeonthestreet_** _: Dr. Doom!Da-uhda-uhda-uh!_  
 ** _mimeonthestreet_** _: Guess you're not coming?_  
 ** _champ1212:_** _Not a chance. CA said no  
_ _ **mimeonthestreet**_ _: And Superdad didn't come to the rescue?  
_ _ **champ1212:**_ _SD agrees with CA_

"Evy? Are you even listening? We are in crisis mode here!"  
"I'm sorry, but dad doesn't want me going out with what's happening."  
"And what might that be? Could it be your life? Your chance to meet a major hottie?"  
"Or...Dr. Doom...as he rampaged 6th avenue," I read off of the online news alert.  
"Dr. Doom? Oh. You know what-to heck with Dr. Doom. It's our chance Evy. He could see us in the crowd and...Wha-at? I'm talking to Evy...WHAT? Just a sec, Ev," I heard indistinct murmuring and an exclamation of annoyance. A loud sigh blew out of the receiver.  
"I'm guessing," I began. "You're not going either."  
"Yeah, thanks to your dad!" I froze; Lizzie was one of the many friends who didn't know my father's secret identity. Calming my nerves, I decided to casually clarify.  
"How's it my dad's fault? He can't control when Dr. Doom goes nutso," I repeated my father's words more defensively than I had intended.  
"True. Apparently he can't control when Robert goes nutso either," she explained. "He called your dad to ask if he would pick us up after the movie and I guess he just _happened_ to mention the rampaging robots."  
"Well, I can't blame him for not wanting you to get on the other end of a death ray or something," I responded while reading the newest message from Neil.

 ** _mimeonthestreet:_** _It's official. I'm not going to the premier. Now I can't see Liz go bonkers over that Hemsworth guy. Do you think someone would put it on youtube?_  
 ** _Champ1212_** : _Not likely coz Liz isn't going. She blames SD._

I've known Neil since I was a baby and he really is the only friend who knows the truth about dad. It's nice to have at least one friend I didn't constantly have to be hiding half of my life from. Unfortunately, this means that Neil has to be just as diligent as I am in keeping our secret. So, to keep incognito and appease Shield (who seems to be keeping a close eye on my online stuff-there's this Lareby guy and I'm telling you he would have my diary censored if he could-it's like he's out to get me...sorry paranoid much?) we use ridicules code names and phrases for everything. My dad has two code names, Superdad or SD (as in the Steve Rogers portion of my father or his completely distinct alias Stephen Rodgersen) and CA (the Captain America persona).  
"Evy, are you even listening? I can't even wave my hand in your face!"  
"Sorry, Neil is sending me messages. He's not going now."  
"Well it looks like we saved our allowances for nothing...now what do we do?"

 _ **mimeonthestreet**_ _: E-ALERT CA IS ON THE NEWS NOW!  
_  
"Hang on Liz, Neil said that the battle's being broadcasted live," I grabbed my tablet and opened the link Neil sent. Sure enough there were the Avengers in the fray of lasers and robotic parts flying everywhere. Thor was whipping up an electromagnetic storm that would scare Nikola Telsa. Iron Man blasted robots high into the sky with his repulsors while the Hulk smashed the bots to smithereens. I saw a flash of red and sure enough it was Black Widow flipping herself onto the shoulders of the large robot, her widow's bite slashing through the chassis. I couldn't see Hawkeye, but I could see that he hadn't missed his target as robots spontaneously exploded behind the Avengers' backs.  
"Oooo," Liz sighed over the phone. "It does look pretty bad out there-Ah! There he is!" I guessed Liz was watching the news report now because I too could see the familiar disc cutting through the air. Captain America came bounding through the scene as the camera followed him shakily. He leaped into the air soaring gracefully over the advancing front of robots, bringing his shield down menacingly upon his foes.  
"Gosh, he is so dreamy," I heard Liz coo. I held back my usual disgusted response. Funnily enough, Liz doesn't think my dad, Stephen Rodgersen, was anything out of the ordinary. She has this thing with Captain America exclusively. I mean, sure he's not a bad looking guy. So I suppose I could see what Liz meant, but whereas she saw the good looking American war hero, I saw my dad in flamboyant tights that show everything...there are some things you don't need to know about your father.  
"He's kind of old, you know," I halfheartedly tried to reason with her.  
"Age is just a number," she responded cheerfully.  
"Unless it's hitting the three-digit mark," I joked, remembering that dad had was technically 107.  
"What? I like mature men. At least they think about the future!"

 **Champ1212:** _Liz wants to marry my dad_. :/  
 ** _mimeonthestreet_** **:** O.o  
 ** _mimeonthestreet_** **:** _He is spry for an old guy!_

I laughed out loud at that comment and continued to chat with both of my friends. Eventually, the Avengers emerged victorious, posing for the cameras as a united team.  
"Gosh," Liz breathed. "I wonder what it would be like to be an Avenger you know? A real superhero, you know, like Crusader?"  
"Yeah," I replied "I wonder."

Steve POV

Despite my warnings, I've found her curled up in that shabby armchair, book nestled in her lap and glasses tipping haphazardly off her nose, lightly snoring away. The soft glow of the floor lamp brought out the Roger's red hair vividly and I couldn't help but smirk at how, even as self-conscious a teenager she was, those curls were just as tangled as the three year old I once knew. And just as I did when she was a toddler, I found myself falling into my old routine.  
I quietly approached her petite form and reached down to gingerly remove both glasses and book. I felt the worn out jacket of the book between my fingers and read the fading title, _The Return of the King_. It was one of the first books her mother introduced me to and I have revisited Middle Earth many times since. Ensuring that her spot was appropriately bookmarked, I set both glasses and book on the desk. Then, reaching down I scooped her up into my arms just as I had many times before. It doesn't matter that she is almost 16 years old-it doesn't matter that she is almost at the brink of adulthood. She will always be my little girl and as her father, it's my duty to make sure she is properly tucked-in with puppy by her side. Once I am satisfied that she is sufficiently coddled by her blankets, I kiss her forehead, trying to tuck back the curls for just a few moments.  
It's a routine. It's mechanical, even dull, to most, but I never tire of it. I think of all the times I missed tucking her in and know that my opportunities are limited. She won't let me treat her like the child I see through my eyes. Little by little she is becoming independent and strong-minded, and I couldn't be prouder. I wouldn't stop those changes for the world, except at moments like these-moments where I get to be her 'daddy' once more.  
She muttered something in her sleep and I decided it's time to make my exit. Turning off the lights, but leaving the door to the hallways slightly ajar, I let her sleep.  
"Goodnight sweetheart," I whispered "I love you."


	3. Chapter 3

**Alter Ego**

Chapter 2

* * *

Evy POV

 _Miss Rogers?_ Ugh.  
 _Miss Rogers?_ Maybe if I play dead, he'll stop.  
 _Miss Rogers!_ There's silence-that's always a good sign.  
 _Miss Rogers your brain waves clearly indicate that you are awake._ Darn artificial intelligence.  
"What?" I asked the ceiling, groggily. "Do you always scan people's brain activities?"  
 _I make special allowances for certain inhabitants of the tower._  
"We need to get you a hobby Jarvis, buddy," I collapsed back onto the bed.  
 _Miss Rogers, your father wishes to inform you that if you are not out of bed within the next five minutes, I am allowed to gain your attention by any means necessary._ He's bluffing. I let my head drop back on the pillow and just as my eyes began to droop, a trilling bugle blasted into my ear.  
"Ahhh!" I fell unceremoniously onto the ground, still tangled in my comforter. Very disoriented, I looked up to see my father starring down at me.  
"Aw, dad, couldn't you have knocked?" I asked him, trying to free myself from the quagmire.  
"That was one of the more impressive awakenings that I have ever seen," Dad observed and I glared.  
"Well Jarvis went all 9th amendment," I retorted. "Since when does he have unlimited alarm power?" _  
_"Since 6:30 this morning, when you should have been up, but ignored my calls." Dad reached down and plucked me out of the blankets and I mean 'plucked!' Like a doll in a laundry basket! He set me on my feet and I made a scene of stretching abnormally slow. Dad shook his head, a slight smile apparent on his face.  
"Come on my little sloth, get dressed. Breakfast is hot and on the table and you have to be at school in 30 minutes," he ordered directing me to the bathroom. I sauntered off to commence my morning rituals. As I tackled the task of managing my hair, I heard more movement in my bedroom. I grinned knowing exactly what it was. Dad was ever the over-compulsive neat freak.  
"Da-ad!" I called. "You're not making my bed, are you?" I hear soft thuds, probably dad fluffing the pillows or the blankets.  
"I'm just getting them off the ground so they don't get dirty," he defended.  
"Because, isn't doing your child's chores for them, like the seventh sin of parenting?" I asked giggling. _  
_"Just concentrate on getting yourself to breakfast," he called back.

* * *

Steve POV

"Evelyn, are you ready?" I called to her from down the hall.  
"In a minute!"  
"Get a move on it. Happy is waiting downstairs and your breakfast is getting cold," I reminded her, making my way back to the kitchen, I picked up one of the many files I had been studying. Desperately needing extra energy for the day, I reached for my coffee causing a sharp pain to shoot up my left arm. Pulling back I examined my fingers, slightly number and watched as I tried to make a fist. Eventually, my fingers worked again and I could lift the warm cup to my mouth. It was time to lay off the extra weights; it's not like I didn't do enough during work out anyway.  
"Yum! Bacon!" My thoughts were interrupted as Evy bounded into the kitchen, her school bag dropped to the side of her chair. She eagerly dug into the savory and greasy food.  
"I want to see that much gusto with your fruit," I reminded her, tilting my head toward the bowl of fruit and the piece of toast. She nodded, picking up her fork and digging into the rest of her breakfast.  
"Hey dad?"  
"Yes sweetheart?" I put down my file and gave her my attention.  
"Can I hang out with Neil and Lizzie this weekend?"  
"What did you have in mind?"  
"Nothing too complicated, just watching movies-maybe playing some video games at Lizzie's house."  
"I suppose that would be all right. I'll need to clear it with Phil, but you should ask Happy if he can drive you."  
"That's the beauty. Now that Neil has his own car, he can pick me up."  
"Have they finished the security enhancements yet?"  
"Almost..."she replied more timidly.  
"I'm sorry honey, but until those modifications are made and tested, you'll need Happy to drive you."  
"Okay...is my car going to need those security things?"  
"Your car?"  
"You know, for when I drive?"  
"Let's talk after you've finished reading the manual for your permit,"  
"I'm almost finished!"  
"Then we'll be talking about it very soon." She gave me a look. "Honey, I will do everything in my power to make sure you can get your permit, but there's a lot to sort out-especially if we're setting everything up so that you can try for your driver's test later on. We'll need to schedule a time in advance to make sure that Shield can do a security sweep, we'll need to find an undercover agent to escort you to the DMV, and we'll need to figure out the paperwork with your identity."  
"Yeah, I know my phony birth certificate..." she trailed off, pushing the leftover fruit with her fork. Times like these make me regret my decision to take Fury's solution. The alter ego complicated our lives, there's no mistaking that, but it has kept her safe and hidden thus far. Establishing a counter-identify, a grossly exaggerated representation of a super soldier's child, has kept her out of the spotlight. We've even been able to make it work so that she could go to school and spend time with her two friends. I would face these challenges and many more if it meant she would be safe and happy, but I know deep down that it bothers her. I'm not sure how much farther we can take this farce. She needs to start her life and not as Evelyn Rodgersen or as Pepper and Tony Stark's obscure niece. She needs to be her own person. I know that she wants 'Evelyn Rogers' to be on that damn permit and it kills me to know I can't give her that just yet.  
Instead of having our age old discussion about the importance of keeping her identity safe, I did my best to bring a smile back to her face.  
"If you're planning to see your friends this weekend, can you keep tomorrow free for your old man?"  
"I guess...why?" she perked up.  
"You'll have to wait and see," I remarked with a smile.  
"Aww come on. Not even a hint?"  
"It's a surprise," I responded, happy to see her eyes lighting up.  
"Okay. My weekend's booked, but I can take tomorrow off!"  
 _Captain Rogers, Mr. Hogan would like to know when Miss Rogers is ready._  
"Tell him, she'll be right down," I told the AI as I picked up her lunch bag. Evy scrambled out of her seat, grabbing her book bag and making a beeline for the door.  
"Sweetheart!" I stopped her and gave her lunch bag. "Have a good day at school."  
"I will. Bye dad!" She leaned up and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before bounding off.

 _AN: Slow chapter, so I wanted to get this up a little earlier. Otherwise, I will post new chapters on Thursday. Next up, the plot begins to unfold. As always, thank you for reviewing, following, and reading this story. I appreciate your continued readership! MDwhitacre_


	4. Chapter 4

**Alter Ego**

Chapter 3

* * *

Evy POV

I felt like skipping down the halls with the graded paper in my hands. It was totally awesome! School was out for the weekend, dad said he had a surprise for me and with this grade on my history exam, I knew exactly what I'd be doing this afternoon! It was time to take someone up on a promise. I made it to my locker, fumbling slightly with the new combination.  
"Hey Evy!" Neil appeared to the side clutching a binder and textbook. "How's it going?"  
"I'm okay," I replied nonchalantly opening the door to hide the grin.  
"Just okay?" He asked peering around the door. "Are you sure about that? Cause you looked like you were going to do a victory dance in history class."  
"How would you know? You aren't even in my history class," I responded right before he snatched my exam from my hand.  
"One, I know you. Two, you need to work on your poker face. Nice!" he commented and I grabbed it back.  
"So does this mean," he waved his hand up and down.  
"Maybe, I'll need to see if Uncle Phil is still around when I get home. He said he would be though," I closed the locker and began walking out with Neil. "Gosh, I'm so excited. I think I might run to the tower if Happy isn't here soon."  
"Well, I'd give you a lift, but my car is in the shop," he remarked with a hint of a joke. Oh yeah.  
"Yeah, about that. I'm sorry," I answered sincerely.  
"Eh, the car needed some work anyway. So what if the entire thing is being dismantled to put in a tracking system so that my driving can be monitored by both my parents and a secret government agency. It's fine."  
"Are you joking or being serious, cause I can't really tell."  
"Really don't worry Evy," he replied with a smile. "What are best friends for?"  
I believed him, but that didn't make it any better. Truth is, Neil has had to make a lot of changes in his life because of me. He has to go to the same Shield-protected magnet school, even though it's on the other side of the city. He has to agree to any stipulation or security check Shield mandates before he can hang out with me. He's not even allowed to tell his other friends or family about me, because I technically don't exist. I've missed so many of his birthday parties growing up because the 'pizza parlor just wasn't safe enough for me to go.' And he goes through all of it, like it doesn't bother him, even though I know that it does. He's my best friend and I know I can always count on him, but sometimes I feel really bad that I can't do the same.

As we exited the school, Neil was still going on about his car and all of the things we'll get to do in the car. I didn't even bother to mention that we'll need to get all of it approved, because he knew we would and it would have ruined the good mood anyway.  
"Picture it. By this time next week, we'll be rolling to school in Das Auto."  
"You mean a Volkswagen, right?"  
"Yes, but I've decided to call her Das Auto. It's got a nice ring to it?"  
"What does?" Lizzie came up behind us.  
"Neil's car is apparently a girl and he's naming _her_ Das Auto," I recapped.  
"A girl car?" Lizzie questioned, eyebrow quirking up.  
"Hey, a lot of guys call their car their girl."  
"So she's your girl now?" Lizzie asked and I started chuckling. "You know you don't have to date your car. Alicia would love to take your car's place."  
"Liz, I've said it before, I'll say it again. I don't need a girlfriend." I sat on the wall, pulling out my phone. No texts yet from Happy. Neil pushed himself up next to me.  
"That's cause he already has one," I piped in absentmindedly.  
"Huh?" Neil looked shocked. "I do?"  
"Yeah. Your car," I answered. "Remember? We were teasing you about your car being girlfriend?"  
"Oh yeah," he gave a laugh as he pushed back his hair, his ears turning red. "That's my girl. Old das Auto."  
"Hey, I like Das Auto," I nudged his shoulder and gave him a smile. "Are we still hanging out this weekend? I need to clear the time and place with my aunt and dad."  
"Definitely. You should both come over on Saturday. Robert said he would set up the projector system for us in the library. It can be our own movie theater!" Lizzie bubbled on.  
"Can we switch it to Sunday? Dad asked if I could keep Saturday open for him."  
"Daddy's girl," Neil coughed and I elbowed him. Liz followed up with a swat on the head.  
"We can switch to Sunday," she glared at Neil. "It's awesome that your dad can take some time off." She remarked the last part softly and I gestured for Neil to move. He understood my nonverbal message and hopped off the wall so that I could scoot closer to Liz. Neil climbed back onto the wall, taking a seat next to Liz. I slung an arm around her.  
"Another business trip?" I asked.  
"Just for a week," she answered quietly. "Robert says that they'll probably be home sooner."  
"Maybe." Lizzie sniffled and straightened her back.  
"I'm okay guys, really," she remarked. "Really."  
"Yeah, we know, but we'll still be here for you," I explained encouragingly.  
"That includes my 'girlfriend' too," Neil chuckled.  
"Thanks guys."  
My phone went off and I knew I had to go. I wished my friends goodbye and started down the corner where my secured ride would be waiting.

* * *

Every afternoon after school I have to meet the SI head of security, a guy named Happy Hogan, on the Southwestern curb of the campus. I've asked him why everyone calls him Happy, but he deflects with our usual exchange of banter. As per usual, I saw the familiar black and grey car pull up with the same mountain of a guy wearing sunglasses and listening to ACDC. Once we arrive safely in Stark Tower, I jumped out of the parked car.  
"Land… sweet land!" I flung myself jokingly on the ground.  
"Very funny wisecracker. Do you want inside the tower or not?" I sat up wiping the tears in my eyes.  
"What? I've got my-" my eyes widened.  
"Your ID card? You mean this ID card that I found carelessly lying on the passenger seat?"  
"Hey, it wasn't carelessly left!" I got onto my feet. Happy being a freaking giant and all held the card up and out of my reach.  
"What _don't_ we do with our security badges?" he punctuated each word with a wave of the card.  
"Don't leave it lying around," I mumbled.  
"I don't believe I heard that," he repeated in mock seriousness.  
"We don't leave our security badges lying around for any ol' bad guy to waltz up, grab, and wreak havoc on the tower."  
"Exactomundo," he lowered the security badge and I snatched it from his hand.  
"Easy kid," he remarked.  
"Don't worry…be Happy!" I shouted as I ran off to the elevator. I heard the head of the SI security call back at me, but I was already in the elevator.  
"Hey Jarvis?" I asked the AI as I headed to the 34th floor. "Has Uncle Phil left yet?"  
"Agent Coulson is presently debriefing Mr. Barton and Ms. Romanov in the common room. Shall I alert him of your need?"  
"Nah. I'll go up there myself" I stepped out of the elevator into the common area's kitchen. I could hear some muffled voices coming from the kitchen. Turning the corner, I nearly ran straight into my godfather.  
"Uncle Phil!" I exclaimed.  
"Evy," he hugged me. "How was your history test?"  
"Well," I pulled out a piece of paper and showed him.  
"Very good," he remarked with a smile.  
"Yep," I answered taking the paper back. "So…remember what you said about the history exam?" The older man sighed, his hand coming up to his balding head.  
"Pleasse?Pleeeeeaaaaassssse!" I begged him, nearly on my knees. "Uncle Phil, you promised."  
My godfather smiled and relented. He gestured for me to follow.  
"We'll need to be over the ocean before I turn over controls," he explained. "And I will be on the other set of controls."  
"Don't worry, I've flown the quinjet tons of times," I remarked. We stopped just outside of the elevator and he gave me a skeptical look. "Okay, so it was all in the video games, but I didn't crash it. A lot."  
"I was almost reassured," he retorted. We got into the elevator and descended to the hanger. I was jittery with a mix of nerves and plain excitement. I bounded out of the opening doors and quickly checked to make sure the coast was clear. It's not like I had anything to worry about. I was with uncle Phil and he's one of the most responsible guys I know, but if dad caught wind of this, I don't think he'd like it. Certain that no one would intervene, I made a mad dash for the jet, uncle Phil ambling along. I was about to open the loading bay of the aircraft when…  
"EEERRRNNN!" I jumped looking around for the strange sound.  
"Access denied. Unknown perp stand away from the jet. Repeat stand away from the jet." I swiveled around and found the single most annoying person I have ever met, my 'cousin' Elijah Robert Stark.  
"What are you doing down in the hanger bay?" I asked him.  
"None of your bees' wax!"  
"Wow. Throwing out the beeswax insult, are we?" I remarked. "Clever."  
"What're you doing?"  
"Nothing," I replied with my arms folded. "Nothing that you need to know about."  
"Evy," Uncle Phil had caught up with me. "Hello Elijah." Glancing between me, Uncle Phil and the keys, Elijah quickly figured out what we were going to do.  
"Are you flying the jet? Is Evy going to fly?" Elijah asked, giddily.  
"You are not coming," I refused flat-out. When my uncle threw me a questioning glance I crossed my arms. "I need to focus out there and where there's Eli, there is no focus."  
"Come on. I won't distract you. I'll stay in my seat and zip my lips," he held his hand up to swear his promise.  
"Nope."  
"Uncle Phil!" Eli whined.  
"I've got to agree with Evy on this one. I can't take both of you up there alone."  
"Take who where and what?" Uncle Tony carried his Starkpad in hand with a commlink in ear.  
"Dad, can I go?" Eli begged.  
"Go where?"  
"I promised to take Evy out for a flying lesson if she did well on her exam," Phil explained.  
"Aced the history exam?" Tony questioned.  
"You know it!" I high-fived his outstretched hand.  
"That's great, but I can't let you take the jet out…"  
"What?"  
"Without me," he finished. "It would be completely irresponsible of me to let you and Agent go up there without any back-up. But, if I go, Eli goes too." Elijah smirked satisfactorily at me while I contemplated the advantage of having my awesome, motor-head uncle come with me to the disadvantage of my too-smart-for-his-own-good sorta cousin tag along.  
"Okay," I caved. "Say anything and I'll deactivate you."  
"Hey! For the millionth time, I'm not a robot!" Elijah fumed back before looking at Uncle Tony nervously. "Right dad?"  
"You're not a robot. If anything, you'd be an android," Uncle Tony paused noticing my look of triumph and Elijah's wide-eyed shock. "…which you're not-either."  
"Gee, thanks dad," Elijah mumbled, following behind me. The moment the bay door was down I practically leaped in. Running to the pilot's seat, I sat down and strapped in, but a hand on my shoulder held me back from the control panel.  
"Now, wait just one second," Phil took a seat next to me as Tony and Elijah sat down behind us. "Before you fly, we have to go over the regulations."  
Even though I had read the manual and studied the book, Uncle Phil went over a mind-numbing set of safety rules. I mean really, who needs to be told that you're not supposed to ride on top of the engines? Who does that?! Finally, when Uncle Phil got into the proper method of securing the seat belts, Uncle Tony intervened.  
"Seriously, Phil, what are we doing? Having a 'Safe Simon' seminar or flying the jet?"  
"Any new flyer must first pass the safety examination…"  
"E?" Uncle Tony interrupted and directly addressed me. "Which one goes up? Which makes us go down? Which gives control to the copilot?" I pointed to each control on the board before me. "She's got it, it's not like you're letting her take-off." Tony sat in the seat next to me.  
"Stark, what are you doing?" Phil took a step forward, but uncle Tony was already revving up the engines.  
"Eli, you buckled in?"  
"Yep!"  
"Stark, this is my goddaughter and I am her instructor! I say when we fly!"  
"Agent, she's my niece and this is my jet. I say you strap in," Uncle Tony gave me a wink. "You ready kid?" With a flip of a switch, the jet was barreling down the runway, and Phil scrambled into the seat to my right. One sonic boom later and we were out of the tower, clouds zooming over us. I was careening out of my sight, gawking at the few buildings we could see break through the misty overcast. It was incredible. Finally, Uncle Tony leveled the jet and gestured to Uncle Phil.  
"We're over the Atlantic, it's as good as it'll get for her." I turned to my godfather.  
"Can I Uncle Phil?" With a small smile breaking through, he nodded.  
"Well, we are up here. Take the controls and hold them nice and steady," he instructed as he prepared to transfer controls to me. I felt the moment they were transferred into my hands. The controls tugged on my hands, but I wasn't going to let go.  
"Good, keep it steady, watch your horizon." I kept the control firmly in my hands.  
"Why not take us starboard?" Uncle Phil instructed. I gently veered the controls to the right, letting the jet speed through the sky, wings slicing through the clouds.  
"Ease up. Bring it back to the center. Very good." Uncle Phil was really calm and collected. I hope that he'll be the one to teach me to drive, if I'm allowed to take the test that is. Well, if I can't get my driving permit, at least I can pass on flying the quinjet! What fifteen year old can say that? Although, taking the jet to school is out of the question. The parking fees would be astronomical!  
"I think I'm getting the hang of-" I felt a sharp bump as something jolted the plane. "this." Another wave of turbulence, much stronger than the last, hit us. The jet bobbed through the sudden current.  
"Geez where is this coming from?" Uncle Phil studied the display.  
I concentrated on keeping the jet steady.  
"I-I got this," I tried to reassure them. This time the wave hit the wing. "I swear I'm not doing this on purpose!"  
"Phil, take it now," Tony reached over and transferred controls to Uncle Phil, who took it over without missing a beat. Another wave hit us, jarring us back against our seats. Eli was starting to look green.  
"Okay dad, I'm ready to go home," he remarked pointedly. Uncle Tony was too busy to respond as he and Uncle Phil tried to maneuver us out of the field of impacts.  
"I thought you worked things out with Atlantis?" Phil questioned.  
"Hey that was ages ago. No reason fishboy should get his nets knotted," Tony defended. "E? Strap in next to Eli." I let him take control of the jet and I stumbled into the back cockpit, securing myself in the seat next to Elijah.  
"We've got to-" I peered around the main chairs and saw what had my uncle's speechless.  
"Hold on!" Uncle Tony jerked the jet up, initiating a second burst that pushed us farther up and away from the incoming impacts.  
"Stark, ease it back. The engines will stall."  
"I built these engines,I know-what-can do." I could hear Uncle Tony straining as he fought the controls to go up and keep us away from the explosion. Elijah and I held unto our seats. We both heard the engines dying down. For a brief moment, my cousin and I shared a terrified look as we were suspended in air. The nose of the jet tilted down making us lurch forward, as we crashed down toward the ocean.  
"Stark!" Uncle Tony strained to reach the a flip of a switch, he initiated the last thruster, giving us control of the jet before we hit the water.  
"See, nothing to worry about," Uncle Tony pulled the jet up and away back towards the city. "You kids okay back there?"  
"Yeah," I answered faintly.  
"Kinda," Eli replied, looking a little paler for the wear.

We landed back in the hanger 10 minutes later. The engines died away and Elijah ran out the moment the doors opened.  
"What happened?" I asked both my uncles. "It looked like a-an explosion or something?"  
"I'm not sure, but I need to contact the director," Uncle Phil stood up. "I'm sorry we had to cut your flying lesson short, munchkin."  
"It's okay. Maybe another time?" I followed him and Uncle Tony out of the jet.  
"Maybe, we'll need to figure out what's going on first."  
"Hey dad, I think we hit 300 gs!" Eli held up his tablet excitedly.  
"That is great and something your mother doesn't need to know about," he took Eli's tablet and set it down.  
"You should probably contact Atlantis. That explosion was pretty powerful," Uncle Phil interrupted.  
"Of course, but, let Cap take this one," Uncle Tony asked. "After all I don't play with others and he's-"  
We all stopped dead in our tracks, Dad coming straight through the doors. Well there goes keeping a secret from dad.  
"Hey Cap," Uncle Tony greeted, pulling the tablet away from Eli once more. "What brings you here?" Dad looked down right irate.  
"Your joy ride. Jarvis told me you almost crashed the quinjet in the Atlantic," he strode up to me, doing his usual damage check."Are you all right?"  
"Yeah. Dad I-we were. Yeah," I stumbled around trying to find the words.  
"Jarvis said that the jet was under attack, is that true?" he looked up to my two uncles. "Was there an explosion?"  
"Yes captain," Phil spoke up. "But the explosion came from the Atlantic itself over sector K6540."  
"K6540?" Dad repeated, puzzled.  
"It's not their fault, dad," I tried to intervene. Dad's eyes softened a bit.  
"Why don't you head up to the apartment? We'll talk about this later." I nodded numbly.  
"Don't worry E, it's going to be fine. Eli you go on up too," Uncle Tony motioned for Elijah to follow. "And not a word of this to your mom."  
"Man, it's no fair," he complained as we got into the elevator. "Why do we always have to go when there's Avenger's issues?" I shrugged my shoulders. Either way, I was officially grounded.

* * *

Steve POV

Underwater explosions. It didn't make any sense. It was too big to be an isolated incident, too small to be shifting land masses. I'd wager that the readings indicated a series of explosions, but what would cause that more than 600 feet below the surface? Only one man would know that answer, and whether or not Tony liked it, we needed to contact Atlantis for any answers. In the meantime, I returned to the apartment to have a talk with Evy.

"Cap," Phil started as we made our way to the elevator, leaving Tony to figure out his channel of communications. "If I had known, I wouldn't have taken her out."  
"I thought you said you'd only take her in the cockpit and tell her the safety rules."  
"That was my plan. Unfortunately, I wasn't planning on involving Tony," he clarified. "I tried to take her over a safe area, Captain. K6540 was supposed to be neutral territory."  
"And now it's not," I interrupted. "Anything could have happened up there. Thank God it didn't, but Phil, letting her drive the jet itself?"  
"Tony and I were right next to her. When the explosions began, we were able to take control...she was doing very well before the turbulence," he remarked as we entered the elevator. "You would have been proud." I sighed. I was proud-proud of the young lady she was becoming, but no matter how well-intentioned her uncles were, I had to draw a line at reckless endangerment.  
"I don't doubt that but she's only fifteen," I stopped upon seeing the downtrodden look on the agent's face.  
"I understand Captain. I'll make sure it won't happen again."  
"Phil," I put a hand on his shoulder. "I know you were trying to do something special with her. I know that you took all the precautions to keep her safe and for that I am thankful. I don't want to take that from you two, but from now on, let's leave the jet out of it."  
"Of course."

* * *

I left the agent at my apartment door and found Evy in her room, sketching away at her desk.  
"Evelyn"  
"Yeah," she answered sheepishly. She turned in her chair and watched me. Finally she spoke up.  
"Am I grounded?"  
"Literally yes. I'd feel much better knowing both of your feet are on the ground," I told her.  
"How about figuratively?"  
"Considering you asked your uncle for something that I would not agree to, I'd say you lost TV privileges until next week," I started. "As for taking the jet for a joy ride, that is something we need to discuss."  
"Okay," she lifted her head. "You don't seem that mad."  
"I'm not mad," I clarified. "I was terrified the moment Jarvis told me the jet was taking hits. I was hell-bent on getting the other jet and going straight out there to bring you home. I'd even say I was disappointed that you didn't tell me that you wanted to fly, but I wasn't and am not angry with you."  
"I'm sorry dad. I really am sorry," she stopped playing with her pencil. "I didn't mean to scare you."  
"Just tell me one thing. Why didn't you come to me when you wanted to fly the jet."  
"I don't know," she answered. "I knew you'd say no."  
"You don't know that. I might have said yes," I countered.  
"But you always say no when it has to do with Avenger's stuff," she explained. "I just wanted to know what it felt like."  
"Evy," I pulled the hair away from her eyes. "What the Avengers do-what I do, isn't always 'fun'. It's thrilling and terrifying at times. I say no when it comes to 'Avenger's stuff' because I don't want you to be in danger."  
"But it's always dangerous," she countered.  
"Yes it is. That's why I want you to come to me. Honey, if there's something you want, you can ask me. I can't and won't always give it to you, but it's important that whatever we do, we do it together. Do you understand?"  
"Yes," she nodded. "Is uncle Phil going to get in trouble?"  
"No," I answered quickly. "I think we all know what happened wasn't a good idea, but it could've been worse. Your uncles are the reason it wasn't as bad it could've been, but young lady, you are not stepping on the jet again for a long time." I stood up.  
"Hey dad?"  
"Yes?"  
"How'd you know I asked uncle Phil to take me out on the jet?"  
"I'm a parent," I smiled widely. "I always find out." There was a pause as she crossed her arms and watched me.  
"He told you huh?"  
"Now don't be upset with your uncle. He was just doing we all do."  
"Secret spilling?"  
"Watching out for each other," I corrected. "That's what families do."

 _AN: Sorry for the late posting. My internet connection has been on the fritz this last week, but now that it is fixed (hopefully) I'll resume posting every Thursday. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend._

 _MDWhit._


	5. Chapter 5

**Alter Ego**

Chapter 4

* * *

 _Evy POV_

It was Saturday and thankfully, I didn't have to be anywhere-so sleeping in seemed like the ticket. Then a smell...a glorious smell...poured through my door and suddenly I was up! Jumping out of bed, I ran into the kitchen to find dad stacking some delicious waffles on a plate.  
"WAFFLES!" I cried running and hopping onto the chair, nearly knocking myself over.  
"Easy there," Dad said with a grin, setting a plate of waffles and strawberries in front of me. Grabbing the maple syrup, I doused the cakes in sugary goodness. Dad chuckled into his cup at the oh-so polite display of me shoveling syrupy waffles in my mouth.  
"I don't think I need to tell you, but _that_ is very unladylike." Suddenly, it hit me: waffles, strawberries, no lecture on manners...something's up.  
"Okay, who's taking over the world now?" I asked. He raised his eyebrows. "I'm just saying that strawberries and waffles aren't part of my balanced weekend breakfast unless something bad has happened...nothing bad has happened, right?"  
Dad shook his head and then fumbled around his jacket pocket.  
"I am sorry, Evy. Truly sorry that you missed your movie the other night-," he pulled out an envelope. This was it, my surprise!. "But I thought this might make up for it." He handed me two tickets for the Ice Show. I looked up to see my dad giving me his goofy grin. "I thought we could go and get some more autographs for your book."

For as long as I can remember, dad has always hated the ice. I guess it reminds him too much of before. But honestly, I love it. Since the first time Uncle Phil sneaked me out to an ice skating rink, I felt some kind of connection with it. Whenever I am skating, I feel strong, graceful and confident. I feel like everything I'm supposed to be as Captain America's daughter: not helpless, powerless or defenseless. Dad must've figured it out because, for my ninth birthday, we went to my first ice show. I knew dad wasn't very comfortable, but he diligently sat through the entire 2-hour show and even let us stay an extra half hour just so I could get the skater's autographs in the souvenir program booklet. I missed some of the skaters though, so dad and I have made it a yearly tradition to try and get their signatures after each of their shows. I suppose dad could always have gotten the signatures himself (I mean who wouldn't give Captain America an autograph when he wanted one?), but I'm glad that we do this instead. It'll take longer to fill the booklet, but it's a special thing just between us.  
"I take that as an affirmative," dad laughed at my wide and messy grin. As my hand reached for the syrup (I was feeling lucky), he snatched it away quickly.  
"Awww!"  
"I think you have enough syrup on your plate."  
"But I don't, see?" I showed him the plate. He looked at the soggy waffle.  
"Do you want some waffle with your syrup, Evy? You know back in my day, we had sugar rations," he stopped upon seeing my dazed off look. "Maybe we'll institute some rations in this house."  
"Dad!"  
He stood up and set his own plate into the sink. Walking back, he kissed the top of my head.  
"Promise me that you'll brush your teeth twice-over after all of that?" He nodded towards the waffle.  
"Oh-tay," I grumbled. Someone knocked on our front door and without so much as an invite, uncle Tony strolled in, closely followed by Elijah.  
"Hi Uncle Steve!" Elijah greeted as my dad ruffled his hair. Uncle Tony was never one for salutations.  
"Ah hah," Tony pointed to the counter. He walked over and grabbed a strawberry from the bowl. My dad starred at him. "Jarvis said you had strawberries."  
"And my having them means you must have one as well?" asked Dad.  
"Hey, you're my strawberry excuse. You know we can't have them around Pep...geez Steve when did you go all domesticated?" He gestured to the waffle iron.  
"Dad?" Elijah piped in. "Why don't you make waffles?" Tony stopped eating long enough to give his son a shocked face.  
"I make waffles for you."  
"No Jarvis makes them...gluten-free," Elijah scrunches up his nose and I can't help but do the same. "I'm not even allergic." His eyes brightened at the plate of waffles my dad put before him.  
"Syrup?" he asked me, his eyes searching the table.  
"Nope, have plenty. Thank you," I said and he glared at me. "Sorry, but dad just put us on sugar rations." I felt a slight ping on my shoulder as my dad flicked me gently-his way of reminding me to mind my manners. Dad gave the bottle of syrup to Elijah.  
"Easy on the syrup Eli, or your mom will kill me," uncle Tony told Elijah.  
"No worries there, Evy's already got it all," he made a 'puke' face at me. Oh no he didn't. Like that boy didn't have sugar galore 24/7. As dad and uncle Tony started arguing about some project or suit or something, I grabbed another strawberry. Keeping eye contact with Elijah, I dipped and twirled the strawberry in a pool of syrup until at long last it was dripping with the substance. Then, to his disgust, I put the whole thing in my mouth.  
"Eww! Dad, Evy's trying to make me sick!" Elijah moaned. I turned to see my dad giving me 'the look.'  
"What? I'm just eating," I asked innocently. Glancing over to Elijah again, I whispered "Tattletale."  
"Sugar junkie!" He retorted.

* * *

 _Steve POV_

As Evy and I took our seats at the ice show, I found myself fidgeting uncomfortably. I hated being so close to the ice, but if it made my little girl happy, I'd always suffer through it. Sure enough, she's sitting on the edge of her seat, waiting for the show to begin. I leaned back, enjoying her commentary on the program. I didn't remember which skater we were going to ambush, as Evy calls it, at the end of the program. I had the worn leather covered brochure for the signatures in the inner pocket of my jacket waiting for its next induction. My left arm was cramping uncomfortably and for some reason, I felt tired. I chose to ignore it and try some of that awful concessions stand food. The popcorn was overwhelmingly crunchy. Evy groaned and I saw that someone in an over-sized Snoopy costume had taken the ice and was skating around in circles.  
"Why is it always Snoopy who gets the first short program?" she moaned. She looked to me, and her expression changed.  
"Dad? Are you okay?"  
"Huh? Oh. Honey, I'm fine. Not in the mood for popcorn though," I said rubbing my arm. The darn seats were always so small. My entire body might go to sleep. Evy took the popcorn bag from my hands, hesitantly.  
"Okay," she said. "Slurpee?" She held up the icy drink to me.  
"No thanks baby girl," I replied. The idea of drinking something cold in this frigid arena, made my body cringe even more.  
"Dad!" She whined. "Baby girl?" I smiled and patted her head. It distracted her for a while. She turned her attention back to Snoopy as he made his grand exit. The next skater came on to the thralls of Bizet's _Carmen_. The skater was very good, one of the best I had seen, but I couldn't concentrate. I had forgotten how tired I used to be. Stupid chair, I thought again, of course they'd make my bones ache. Trying to ignore the intensifying throbbing, I became conscious of pounding in my ears. Shaking my head, I realized that my heart was racing. It wasn't unnatural, especially around the ice. When I first started coming, I would have slight panic attacks-they would go away as soon as I reasoned with myself. _I am not in the ice. I am awake. It is the 21st century. We won the war. I am an Avenger now. I have a daughter. She is safe._ I turned to my daughter who was looking at me curiously. Her mouth was moving, but I couldn't hear over the drumming in my ears. Suddenly, she was standing up.  
"Dad," her voice got through. "I'm really worried about you. I'm gonna get someone."  
"Honey," I said. "I'm fine. I'm just going to visit the restroom." I tried standing up.

All I saw is darkness. All I felt was a cold and hard surface. Oh God, please-not the ice! I heard someone frantically calling for help. Was it Evy? I had to get up. I had to help her, but I'd have to open my eyes first, something I seemed unable to do.  
"We need an ambulance," a man's voice said. "We have a 35 year old unconscious male who took a hard fall from the fourth row." More voices surrounded me, but one rose above the rest.  
"Uncle Tony," Evy's voice was soft, but with a distinct tremble to it. "It's dad. He collapsed and he's not waking up!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Alter Ego**

Chapter 5

* * *

 _Evy POV_

I was waiting around in that sitting room for an entire night, curled up on the couch with my head in Nat's lap. She came barely an hour after the ambulance got to us and she barely left my side. As I sat, freaking out about dad, she braided my hair and softly sang some Russian lullabies. I've known the words since I was really little, but I didn't feel much like singing. Tony and Bruce were talking with the doctor for what felt like hours; dad still hadn't woken up and I wasn't sure what to do! I've always known that what dad does is dangerous. I've come to terms with his mortality a long time ago, but I never thought it would be like this. The way he looked- so old, pale and weak-that wasn't my dad. I heard the rustling of plastic. Looking up, I saw uncle Clint setting a sandwich wrapped in plastic on my stomach.  
"Hey chickadee," he said scooting in beside Nat. "Eat up. We don't want your dad to wake up and think we've starved you, now do we?"  
"I'm not hungry," I mumbled just as my stomach growled loudly. Reluctantly, I opened the sandwich and saw that it was roast beef. "It's roast beef." Clint rolled his eyes. He tried to hand me a half-eaten sandwich.  
"Wanna trade? It's ham!" He said mouth full of the sandwich he was trying to pass on to me.  
"You've already taken a bite out of it..." Clint laughed heartily as Nat playfully swatted him on the head. I sat up quickly to see Tony and the doctor striding towards me. Tony took a seat on the other side of me, as the doctor approached. The doctor had been brought in by Shield specifically to look over dad, but I'm glad that Bruce was checking dad too.  
"Evelyn Rogers?" I leaned forward as the doctor dragged a stool in front of me. "I'm your father's attending. He is stable, and we're sure that he should be waking up within the hour. We'd like to keep him here for the next few days for more tests. Hopefully, we will be able to figure out what brought this on."  
"Will this happen again?" I asked.  
"It's too early to know for sure, but there's no immediate danger," he told me. "Do you have someone to watch over you while your father's here?"  
"We're here for her," Tony said placing a hand on my shoulder.  
"Can I see him?" I spoke up. "Can I see him now?" I could tell that the doctor was about to put his foot down, but lucky for me, the Avengers have this whole non-verbal persuasion thing down pat. Looking at each of the Avengers he gave a sigh.  
"You can in a little while. We're going to move him to a more private room and then we'll get you set up there. Does that work for everyone?"  
About an hour later, I found my dad in a hospital bed, hooked up to so many different machines I felt dizzy from trying to register them all. I could see him moving slightly. Was he awake?  
"Dad?" I asked. His head shifted up and I saw him smile meekly.  
"Hello sweetheart," he said softly. He lifted up his hand and I ran over to him.  
"Dad," I hugged him.  
"I am so sorry sweetheart. I've really ruined your week."  
"Uh-uh," my disagreement muffled into his shoulder. "You're okay. The doctor said you're okay."  
"So I am," he held me in front of him. He noticed me looking at all the tubes and bags surrounding him. He tapped my nose lightly, making me smile just as my stomach growled again. Reaching for the side table, he pulled a tray next to him. I spied crackers, cream of wheat, jello and apple juice.  
"I'm not hungry."  
"Someone's tummy disagrees."  
"Why do you always have to act like I'm a baby?"  
"You are my baby; besides, embarrassing and endearing moments are in my job description," he pushed the juice box towards me. "You can have my jello, if you like, just not the cream of wheat- _t_ _hat's_ mine."  
"Aw, you sound old," I sat down and snuggled up next to him, drinking the apple juice.  
"I am old," he smiled. "The doctors say I need to stay here for a few more days. I've already spoken with Tony and you'll be staying with him, Pepper and Elijah."  
"I could stay in the apartment."  
"Honey I don't want you alone in the apartment for three days," he shook his head "I know you're a responsible fifteen year-old, but cut your poor dad some slack for a bit, okay?"  
"Yes," I replied solemnly.  
"Thank you."  
"Dad?" He looked down at me. "You really scared me."  
"I didn't mean to, honey. I really don't know what came over me, but it's going to be all right."  
"Promise?"  
"Promise."

* * *

 _Steve POV_  
"Dad?" I looked down to my daughter, snuggling herself in my arm. "You really scared me."  
"I didn't mean to, honey. I really don't know what came over me, but it's going to be all right."  
"Promise?" I remembered that look. It's her look. The one look that would grace her face whenever she had 'the most important question of her life,' and only I had the answer. I didn't have this answer-I really didn't know what was going to happen, but she needed my reassurance more now than ever.  
"Promise."  
She stayed snuggled in my arm, finally opening up the jello.  
"Dad, why is hospital jello more jiggly than other jello?" she asked holding a plastic spoon full of the viscous substance.  
"I don't know and really don't care to. Honey, don't play with your food."  
"I'm not. I'm observing it," she said poking the Jello piece with her finger.  
"Whatever you're doing it's not eating and that is what the jello is for," I tried not to resume the role of the lecturing father. She didn't need that, at least not at the moment. I sighed. "Now eat it or put it back so it can be reused."  
"Reused?"  
"Of course, why do you think the hospital never runs out of jello?" I said with a grin. Half of her face turned up into a scrutinizing look of disgust. She set the spoon down in the jello.  
"I'm done." I noticed a silhouette by the door and I could make out Bruce's form. I let out a sigh as the good doctor, Tony and Pepper walk in.  
"Hey E, why don't we let your dad rest," Tony said to Evy. She looked to me and I nodded.  
"Go on. I'll be all right."  
"Okay," she said hesitantly "I'll come back tomorrow-bright and early!" She hugged me again.  
"I'll make sure to order breakfast for the both of us," I told her with a kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight sweetheart. I love you."  
"I love you too dad. Night," she answered. I watched as Pepper put her arm around Evy's shoulders and led her out of the room. Evy stopped and turned back once more.  
"Aren't you guys coming?"  
"Soon," Bruce responded. "We just want to talk to your dad about an upcoming mission with the Fantastic Four."  
"Okay..." Evy said.  
"Go on honey. Make sure to brush your teeth," I told her. As soon as Evy and Pepper were out the door and down the hall I turned to my two friends.  
"So, what is happening to me," they looked surprised at my abruptness. "I figure that is the reason I have both of you here. Now what is it?"  
"Cap," Bruce began "We've been doing a lot of work. There's nothing for sure yet, we'll have to do some more tests and then..."  
"Bruce," Tony interrupted. "Tell him."Bruce sighed and took off her glasses.  
"The serum..."Bruce started softly. "The latest blood work shows the serum breaking down."  
"Breaking down?" I asked. "What does this mean?"  
"The serum's half-life appears to be around 50 years. It's possible that you being cryogenically frozen prolonged it, but..."  
"No," I interjected. "What does this _mean_?"  
"Oh. Once the serum is completely degraded, your muscles will lose integrity."  
"I'll become the way I was?"  
"No," Bruce responded more hesitantly. "The serum didn't just affect your muscles or your bones...Steve, it's what kept you alive…keeping you alive."  
"Without the serum," Tony started. "You'll revert back to your natural state all right- your 107 year old natural state."

Nothing. I've got nothing. Without the serum, I am dead. I have no problem with death, but then, it's not me I'm worried about.  
"Evy," I whispered.  
"Steve, we're not going to let you go out like this. We have a plan," Tony grabbed my shoulders forcing me to look at him.  
"Tony has designed a suit that will slow down the degeneration," Bruce explained. "As long as you wear it, we will have time to find."  
"Time?" I ask.  
"Time to figure out a long-term solution."  
"You can't stop the serum from breaking down?"  
"We don't know yet," answered Bruce. "We have to find the original composition of the serum, until then we're blind. We'll need to do a complete chemical analysis to determine the molecular formula."  
"If this doesn't work..." I began.  
"Cap-"  
"No, let me finish. If this doesn't work, how long?" Bruce and Tony exchanged looks.  
"At most, a year."  
"A year," I conceded.  
"We're going to figure this out Steve. Don't worry."  
"I'm not worried about me, Tony. I've outlived so many of my friends and family. When it's my time..." I let the phrase go. "But I can't leave Evy. She needs me."  
"No matter what happens, we will take care of Evy," Bruce told me. "We will always protect her." _You can't protect her_ , I thought, _not from death, not from this...not from_ it.  
"She can't know..."I looked up to my teammates and my friends. "I don't want Evy knowing. Not right now-it will only frighten her. Unless we no longer have a choice, no one breathes a word of this." They nodded in agreement.


	7. Chapter 7

**Alter Ego**

Chapter 6

 _Steve POV_  
I sat at my desk going through the scattered papers. I had a standing will updated throughout the years-fairly standard stipulations. Since the news, I wanted to go over it again. It's not that I didn't trust my teammates to find a solution, but I had to make sure that Evy was taken care of, no matter what.  
I never wanted much; I never wanted immortality. Even if it's only for a few more years, I'd be happy. I want to see my little girl grow up-I want to be there for my child's biggest moments. Let me go a little longer.  
"Dad! I'm home!" I shifted the papers so that Evy could not find them. I saw her walk in with a shoulder knapsack. She dropped her bag to the floor and sat in the chair opposite me. Leaning her head and tilting it to the side on both of her hands, she stared at me.  
"Hello sweetheart. Did you have a nice day at school?" I asked gathering all the papers in a stack and putting them in the filing drawer.  
"Yeah, it was okay. I finished my science project early, but that means I have all the time in the world to focus on economics...bleh," she said. "What about you? Are you in Avengers office mode now?"  
"Avengers office mode?" She replied to my answer by gesturing to the other papers on my desk.  
"Oh, yes. I suppose you could call it that," I put the rest of the papers away. "I'm sure that Pepper would be willing to help you with economics."  
"I guess," she answered glumly. "So...dad...I have something really important to talk to you about." She straightened her back and I gave her my full attention.  
"Dad, there's this thing coming up and it's really important. It's a rite of passage," she stuttered. "CanIgotothewinterformal?"  
"Can you go...what?"  
"The formal? It's not really an actual formal banquet or anything; it's more like a dance?" she clarified.  
"And you want to go?"  
"Well yeah. Dad I'm fifteen years old. You've always said that I am responsible. I get good grades, I do all my chores, I listen to you-so I can handle a dance."  
"I don't see why you couldn't go, but-."  
"I know you think I'm too young and that I'm just a baby. I mean I am young and I'll always be your baby, but I'm fifteen and fifteen-year-olds should go to formals especially those in safe, warm dance halls that are not going to be randomly attacked by a villain unless that villain is a high school criminal mastermind or something."  
"I agree."  
"I knew you would say that, but dad I'm...you agree?" I nodded. "I can go?" I nodded again.  
"As long as we clear it with Happy and Phil-mind you we'll need to stick to the protocol for extracurricular functions, but I don't see why you couldn't."  
"Oh. Well that's good..." she slumped back in the chair, and groaned. "I've just become a cliché."  
"I might be able to ease the pain," I smiled and she looked at me questioningly. "Why don't we get take out? Just you and me. I'll call in to our favorite place."  
"Really? You don't have a mission to do or a world to save?" she asked me tentatively. "No paperwork?"  
"Nothing that I can't do later." Evy put a finger on her chin and pretended to ponder.  
"Can I get a large chocolate milkshake?"  
"You can get a medium chocolate milkshake...with whip cream," I negotiated.  
"Okay, but I'm ordering french fries too!"  
"As long as you share them," I responded getting up. "Shall we?"  
"I'm getting my jacket," with in moments, she was running out of the office, forgetting her bag on the ground. I picked up the shoulder bag and a book fell out, its pages splayed across the floor. Gathering up the book, I automatically opened it to the middle. Beautiful, majestic sketches in natural pencil lined the pages. I knew that Evy was artistic, but I was surprised at how far she had come. Knowing that she wouldn't want me to see them until they were 'done,' I carefully closed the sketchbook and nestled it back into her knapsack.  
"Okay, I'm ready!" She appeared in the doorway.  
"All right, let's go!" I grabbed my coat from the office chair and began to follow her out the apartment.

There's still so much I want to tell her; so much I have to teach and show her. I don't want to waste a single moment. They're already feeling far too numbered.

 **AN: I will be posting another chapter this weekend. I am sorry for not posting last Thursday-it was a horrible day.**


	8. Chapter 8

Alter Ego

Chapter 7

 _Evy POV_

Something isn't adding up. Dad was released from the hospital in three days with the diagnosis of a heart attack. I'm no doctor, but shouldn't he be on some sort of treatment? I guess a super soldier would heal faster, but he would still need to heal...right? I looked up some stuff about it online and although most people can resume their normal activities, there are still a lot of tests and lifestyle things that they should do. I'm not trying to freak out, really. I just don't want to see dad like that ever again. The more I think about it, the more I wonder exactly how much dad isn't telling me. Bullet point number one on the list of fishy things that doesn't make sense: dad's treatment (or lack thereof). Bullet point number two: dad seizing the day. Dad's really tried hard not to be an absent father. True, he is away A LOT for missions, but when he's here, he's 100% dad with all the attention on me (whether I like it or not). I'm lucky though. I see how Lizzie's parents are away so often, and barely spend any time with her when they're home. When Captain America is home, he becomes super dad-no negotiation. But now, he's spending a lot of extra time with me doing really special things. I think we've gone out to dinner every night this week (I'm not sure we even had clearance!), stayed up past my bedtime, on school nights, watching movies together, and he's already planning our big summer trip to the cabin. Maybe being sick has gotten to him. Maybe it is worse off than what they are telling me. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit and I told Bruce just that when I questioned him about dad's condition. Bruce sighed, ran his hand through his hair and did his glass-cleaning thing which translates to a flat-out, 'I'm not saying anything.' I'm going to figure this out. I just need to strategically put myself by the tower's most consistent secret-spiller. So, I headed to the workshop right after school.

I love the workshop. Uncle Tony and Uncle Bruce have always let me hang out with them-ever since I was a toddler. I can always tell when the elevator has reached the correct floor by the overwhelming booming of ACDC. I walked through the open doors and a chorus of over-excited chirping. DumE, You and Butterfingers rolled over to me causing a flurry of mayhem in their wake; I heard a groan from the side as Uncle Tony muttered something under his breath about a city college.  
"Hi guys!" I greeted them affectionately, patting their claws. "Guess what I got you?" I pulled out the brown paper bag.  
"I hope you didn't get them crayons again. It took me a week to clean out melted, crushed crayons from their wheels." Tony called from behind his work desk.  
"Nope-no crayons this time," I assured him. To be fair I had gotten them colored pencils before but that was banned after Elijah and I, DumE and Butterfingers serving as our steeds respectively, used the pencils to joust in our very own tournament. Sighing I took out the small red and grey screen.  
"An Etch-A-Sketch?" Tony asked.  
"Why not?" As the robots crowded around me, I let them play with the knob. Butterfingers knelt down first, his claw tentatively grabbing the dial and rotating clockwise. When the line appeared in the sand, the other two robots, gathered closer watching the line move in 90 degree angles as DumE took the other control. I put the paper bag on the ground and walked over to Tony.  
"So whatcha doing?" I asked hopping onto a nearby stool.  
Upon closer inspection, I saw the hologram Tony was designing. It was a suit, but it lacked the traditional Iron Man flair. Actually, it looked like some kind of wetsuit.  
"Is Iron Man going surfer or something?" I asked.  
"Don't you have homework?" He replied.  
"Nope. You get to have the pleasure of my company for the whole afternoon," I retorted smartly.  
"Careful. Your dad might think I've rubbed off on you."  
"You still haven't answered my question," I reminded him. "What's the deal with the wetsuit?"  
"It's not a wetsuit," scoffed Tony. "Besides when have you been so interested in my work?" He not so casually segued and turned off the hologram.  
"Always!" I smiled.  
"Well then make yourself useful...hand me that socket wrench." I retrieved the wrench and handed it over. He rolled over to his hot rod and proceeded to ignore me. After a while of watching him tinker, I decided to pull out my sketchbook.  
"Oh Butterfingers!" I called and the little robot excitedly rolled over. I worked on the contour lines, having finished the basic shape of the robot before me. Suddenly, the claw grabbed at my sketchbook repeatedly. "Okay, okay! What do ya think? Did I get the wheels right?" Butterfingers chirped positively at my sketch of him. The elevator dinged and none other than my own father walked out.  
"Tony? I got your message, what-" he stopped when he saw me. "Evy? I thought you were staying after school with Lizzie?"  
"I was, but she had to bail last minute. So I caught a ride home with Neil instead. And don't worry, I cleared it with Happy," I told him. Before I could even think to shut my book, dad lifted it up out of my hands. He whistled.  
"Dynamism. That requires a good deal of technical skill," he said looking over my sketches. He smiled over the book.  
"I was just dabbling, dad. It's not like I'm going to be the next Pablo Picasso or anything," I mumbled, feeling my cheeks redden.  
"No, you're not going to be the next Picasso," he agreed, handing me my book. "You're going to be the first Evelyn Rogers." His look of pride suddenly turned to one of confusion as he took in my full appearance.  
"What's that all over you?" He peered closer at the smudges of ink and graphite that undoubtedly covered a good portion of my fingers, and by proxy, my face. He tried rubbing it off with his thumb.  
"Dad! Don't." I flailed and whined. "It's my street cred!"  
"Your what?"  
"You know mark of an artist?"  
"No, I don't know. Apparently I wasn't _hip_ enough to have street cred or 'lead poisoning' as we called it."  
"Dad, they don't have lead in pencils anymore!" I squirmed. Then, dad just had to walk over to Tony's desk, grab a couple of tissues, do the classic parent licks tissue and proceed to try and wash all off the smudges off.  
"Okay, okay. Ew. OKAY!" I leaped off the stool away from his assailing tissues. "I'll go wash it off. All of it." Dad put down the tissues and smiled.  
"Good, while you're at it wash up for dinner. I'll be up for supper soon."  
Ugh, dad could be really embarrassing sometimes!

 _Steve POV_

I heard a low whistle as I watched Evy exit the shop quickly. Turning, I saw Tony slowly applauding me.  
"That was brilliant."  
"What?" I asked dropping the tissues in the wastebasket. "Evy runs whenever I try to baby her."  
"Who would've thought you'd be more repellent than me?" he snickered. "Jarvis? Can you lock the shop, make sure cap and I have some privacy."  
" _Of course sir, although I hope you know that sort of talk will only fuel the romance rumors."_  
"Exactly why I'm asking for privacy," he told the AI "Because, me asking cap to take off his clothes would set off a firestorm." I raised an eyebrow.  
"You want me to take my clothes off?"  
"To change into your suit. You can change over there-I'm not going to look, but I need to run diagnostics- make sure the currents won't stop your heart or anything."  
"That's comforting," I said unbuttoning the cuffs on my shirt. "Is this safe? After all, I did have a 'heart attack'."  
"Don't worry, your doctor is on his way," Tony explained handing me a bundle of black synthetic material, the faintest lines of wires. I stepped behind the wall to put it on. The fabric clung to my body like a second skin, the wires like the veins in my body. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was unpleasant. Despite its tautness, my movements weren't too constricted. I walked back to Tony's desk where he pulled up a full-size hologram of my body.  
"Okay, so this may hurt a bit. If you start having uncontrollable twitching, say something and I'll video it," he told me while entering a sequence.  
"Why- what does that mean?" I asked  
"I'd hazard a guess that we were frying your nerve endings."  
"You'd 'hazard' a guess?" I asked. "And the video will help you figure that out?"  
"Oh sure," he said, before adding in a lower voice "And it'd be hilarious to make a continuous loop of it." We heard strident knocking on the door.  
"Come in!" Tony answered, as Bruce entered the lab.  
"Am I interrupting something?"  
"Some pretty scandalous stuff, especially now that you're here big man." Bruce shook his head and looked over to the hologram.  
"Have you started the current yet?"  
"Nope, we're waiting for you doctor."  
"Let's turn it on," Bruce approached me and tapped another sequence onto a holographic keyboard. The suit lit up, illuminating my body. I could feel the current humming in the fabric.  
"That wasn't so bad," I commented.  
"Oh-uh, we're just calibrating the suit, Steve, we haven't turned it on yet." He rolled out a portable AED.  
"Just in case we need to shock your heart back into rhythm," Bruce muttered.  
"I'm 97 percent positive that the internal lining is insulated enough to protect him from electrocution."  
"All right, I'm lost," I told the two scientists "What's lighting me up like a Christmas tree going to do?"  
"The suit will generate a current which in turn will create an electromagnetic field to alter your particles."  
"Which is completely theoretical, because we'd need an electromagnetic field tantamount to an exploding star to have a great enough effect on the particles," Bruce added  
"Thus, the reason the suit's lined with vibranium and infused with starkium which should 'theoretically' give enough juice."  
"Are you telling me, you have no idea if this is going to work, but it will likely stop my heart? Or explode?" I interrupted the two.  
"It won't stop your heart…completely," Tony clarified.  
"Comforting."  
"Besides, we're not even to the point of creating a magnetic field," Bruce intervened. "Right now, we're having you wear the suit so that we can gather more information about the decay of the serum."  
"Personally, I was just to flip the switch," Tony shrugged. "But your doctor thinks it would be safer to test the suit out."  
"Test it out?" I asked feeling like a dullard.  
"We want you to wear the suit under your clothes. Just do everything you would normally do. The suit has sensors that will record information and send it to Jarvis. We can track the rate of decay, the kind of decay and if there are catalysts. The current is too low of a setting to create the field, but it should be enough to power the sensors. Once we're more comfortable with the data, we'll engage the field."  
"And now?"  
"Now, cap," Tony pulled up another screen. "We're going to light you up like a Christmas tree." Bruce stood by closely with the AED, a few robots were gathered holding video cameras and a fire extinguisher, as Tony hit the 'on' button. The suit blared to life the hum increasing in pitch and volume until everything went black.  
"What the hell?" I heard Tony exclaim. "Jarvis, initiate the backup generators."  
"Tony," Bruce interrupted. I looked down to see the faintest of blue and white light coming from the suit, the only light source in the room.  
"Hey Steve? You still alive?"  
"So far," I answered. The back-up generators brought the lights and holograms back on as I looked down to the suit. Quickly Tony brought up a few screens.  
"Check cardiac rhythms and bioelectric processes…" Tony muttered as Bruce examined a complex data set.  
"Normal. It seems to be normal," Bruce finally concluded.  
"Told you, 97%," Tony added. "You can put your clothes back on."  
"It's working?"  
"As of yet."  
"How exactly am I going to explain this to Evy?" The two scientists stared at me dumbfounded.  
"I thought we weren't going to tell her," Bruce started.  
"I'd like not to, but I'm not sure how to explain why I suddenly glow," I gestured to myself. "I look like one of those fellas from that movie-the movie Evy loves…Train-Tron. Tron! I look like one of those guys. How do I explain that?"  
"Tell her that you've been hitting up the gamma radiation again," Tony tossed my shirt over.  
"She shouldn't be able to see it under your clothes, Steve," Bruce reassured. 

The shirt did conceal the eerie light, thankfully-but I know Evy is getting suspicious. Right now my hope was on the two scientists in the lab. If they succeeded, maybe I would never have to tell her.


End file.
